May 2016

So you’re thinking of putting some money into an investment plan? Why?

That’s a key question which, with the plethora of information available to us today, is often forgotten. It’s all too easy to check the internet, download the app, watch the 24-hour business TV channels and become engrossed in Wall Street’s 1½-point rise between 2pm and 2.15pm today; but does it all really matter?

When asked what the stock market would do, J.P. Morgan – founder of the eponymous investment bank – famously said “It will fluctuate.” He is also widely attributed as commenting “The market will go up and it will go down, but not necessarily in that order.”

Whatever a young man’s fancies turn to at this time of year, this grumpy old man tends to think of an article published by The Gold Report, having interviewed longwave economic forecaster, Ian Gordon, just over 6 years ago, which laid down its position clearly in the opening line...